Attachment for baling-presses.



No. 689,237. v Patnted Dec. l7, IBM. J. T. SMITH.

ATTACHMENT FOB BALING PRESSESJ (Applicatiofi ma Apr. 4, 1901.)

(No Modal.)

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N Q u. 9 h. a s Q WITNESSES W & Imam-on JOHN msmn'u G WL H45 ATTORNEYS UNITE STATES ATENT ()FFICE.

JOHN T. SMITH, OF HERON LAKE, MINNESOTA.

ATTACHMENT FOR BALlNG-PRESSES.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 689,237, dated December 17, 1901.

Application filed April 4, 1901.

To all whont it nuty concern:

Beit known thatL'JOHN T. SMITH, of Heron Lake, Jackson county, Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Impro vements in Attachments for Baling-Presses, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for use in connection with presses for baling flax and hemp tow; and the object of the invention is to provide means whereby the material may be rapidly and conveniently screened, to the end that the chaff and other fine refuse material may as far as possible be separated therefrom before entering the ballng-press.

A further object is to provide an automatic feed for the press, whereby a considerable saving in laboris effected.

Other objects of the invention will appear from the following detailed description.

The invention consists generally in providing an upright screen in connection with a balingpress condenser, and a pneumatic stacker from which the tow is discharged against said screen.

Further, the invention consists in means for regulating the delivery or feed of the tow to the condenser.

Further, the invention consists in various constructions and combinations, all as hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a baling-press with my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a View of the rear of the screen. Fig. 3 is a similar View showing the gate raised. Fig. 4 is a plan view of Fig. 3.

In the drawings, 2 represents a baling-press of the ordinary type, provided with a suitable condenser 3 and a fork-operating mechanism 4. The condenser has an open top, over which I arrange a screen consisting of a frame 5, extending around three sides of the condenser and having a series of slats 6 arranged at intervals. 1

7 is a pipe through which the tow is blown by an air-blast from a suitable breaking and reducing mechanism. The pipe 7 projects in over the condenser through the open side of the screen and is provided with an elbow that directs the tow against the walls of the Serial No. 54,235. (No model.)

screen near the top thereof. The tow is rolled about and agitated considerably in passing through the pipe '7, and when discharged out of the same against the rows of slats a considerable quantity of chaff and other fine refuse material will be separated and blown out through the slats of the screen, while the tow, being checked by said slats, will drop down into the condenser of the press. The tow will be automatically fed, and the separation of the finished stock from the refuse material will be carried on very rapidly. The tow when cleaned will drop into the condenser and thence will passinto the baling-chamber. As the tow is passing continuously through the pipe, it is desirable to provide means to prevent it from dropping into the condenser during the interval between the completion of one bale and the dropping down of the follower preparatory to beginning the next bale. I therefore provide a shaft 8, mounted in bearings 9 at the corners of the screen, preferably at a point about midway between its top and bottom. This shaft is provided with a series of fingers or arms 10, which form a gate, separating the screen from the lower. These fingers in their normal condition bear upon the rear wall of the screen and are swung up to a horizontal position when it is desired to stop the fall of tow into the condenser. Any suitable means may be provided for operating this gate. I prefer, however, to provide a crank 11 on the shaft 8, connecting the same with a lever 12 on the body of the press by a pivoted rod 13. The lever 12 is'also connected by a rod 14: with a clutch mechanism for starting and stopping the press.

In using the apparatus the operator, should he desire to stop the feed of tow to the press, will throw the lever 12 toward the right, thereby raising the gate 10 to a horizontal position, where it will catch and retain the tow as it is discharged from the spout'7. As soon as the follower has been dropped into place and the operator is ready to begin a new bale he will throw the lever 12 toward the left of Fig. 1 and swing the gate down to its vertical position, allowing the tow to drop into the condenser. The operator thus has perfect control over the feed, and although upper portion of the space inclosed by the the delivery to the screen is continuous the .flow of material can be readily checked and the passage of the tow into the press controlled during the interval of dropping the follower.

I am able with this apparatus to thoroughly clean the tow before baling and at the saine time provide a rapid automatic feed that will supply the tow-stock to the press as fast as it can be handled and dispense with the services of one attendant, who is usually employed to feed the tow to the press.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, with a baling-press, of a screen, a pneumatic pipe through which the tow-stock is discharged against said screen, a shaft mounted in bearings in said screen, a series of fingers provided at intervals on said shaft, and means within control of the operator for rocking said shaft and raising said fingers to a horizontal position or depressing the same.

2. .The combination, with a baling-press and its hopper, of an upright screen thereon, a pneumatic. pipe through which tow-stock is discharged against said screen, a pivoted gate adapted when raised to catch the material discharged from said pipe, an operating-lever,

a friction-clutch, and means pivotally con-' necting said operating-lever with said gate and-said clutch, for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, with a baling-press, of a screen, a pneumatic pipe through which the tow-stock is automatically discharged against said screen,.a shaft mounted in hearings in said screen, a series of fingers provided at intervals upon said shaft, a crank for said shaft, an operating-lever provided on said press, a friction-clutch, and operative connections interposed between said lever and said clutch and crank, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with a baling-press provided with a condenser and follower, of a screen located above the condenser, a pneumatic pipe through which flax and hemp tow is discharged against said screen, and means within control of the operator for simultaneously stopping the press and checking the passage of tow to the condenser while the follower is being dropped into place, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with a baling-press, condenser and follower, of a screen above the same, a pneumatic pipe through which towstock is discharged in a continuous stream against said screen, a gate pivotally arranged in said screen and adapted when in a horizontal position to shut off the flow-of mate rial to said condenser, a friction-clutch mechanism for starting and stopping the press, and means within control of the operator for operating said gate to check the discharge of material into the condenser when the press is stopped and the follower is being dropped into place.

6. The combination, with a baling-press and its condenser, of an uprightscreen there on, a pneumatic pipe through which tow stock is discharged against said screen, a pivoted gate adapted when raised to catch the material discharged from said pipe, means for operating said gate, means for starting and stopping the press, and operative .connections provided between said gate-operating. means and said starting and stopping means, substantially as described.

7. The combination, with a balingpress provided with a condenser and follower, of a screen, a pneumatic pipe through which towstock is automatically discharged against said screen, a horizontal shaft mounted in bearings in said screen, a series of fingers provided at intervals upon said shaft, a crank for said shaft, means for starting and stop ping the press, and means within control of the operator for oscillating said fingers to shut off the discharge of stock into the condenser when the press has been stopped and the follower is being dropped into place.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of March, 1901.

JOHN T. SMITH.

In presence of- RICHARD PAUL, M. E. GOOLEY. 

